Figure 1: Some of the new Pulsed MIG programs have been designed to produce welds with cosmetic profiles that are almost identical to the characteristic TIG weld profiles.

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Figure 1: Some of the new Pulsed MIG programs have been designed to produce welds with cosmetic profiles that are almost identical to the characteristic TIG weld profiles.

Figure 2: MIG or TIG? It’s hard to tell with Pulsed MIG, which is what was used for this weld.Pulsed MIG has come a long way in recent years. It has become very easy to use and very easy to train operators to make quality welds—much easier than training a TIG operator. Plus, the appearance of some Pulsed MIG welds can rival that of a TIG weld.

Figure 3: Shown here is a burn-through on the backside of an aluminum weld. Depending on the chemistry of the base alloy being welded, this can be a serious problem that can promote base alloy cracking and be susceptible to propagation.